Now is the Winter of Our Content
by Ronnie Lepkowitz
Summary: The Enterprise is en route to a distress call. Seemingly run of the mill operation, but with one small wild card-Q. Mirror!Universe involved.:) (short chapters for now luvs!)
1. Inevitable Reunion

_Captain's Log,Stardate 48987.3._

As we near the end of another year on our mission,by Terran standards,I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. I've spoken to Counselor Troi, and she's felt it as well. Guinan has expessed apprehension in accordance with our own suspicions and as both a captain and man of experience,these "coincedences" cannot be underestimated. Troi has told me the crew as a whole has no worries nor feelings of fear of anykind and are acting normally, and this is a relief. Be it be premonitions or nothingness, it shall not daunt us from our current mission to starbase 77 in the edge of the Alpha Quadrant. They have signaled a distress call and we are the closest Federation ship within 12 parsecs. We are enroute at warp eight, noting it should take us not long to arrive. What we may find there is a mystery as the distress call was drowned in sub-space static then cut off. My guess is that if this was an attack, their communications have been compromised. Yellow Alert has been established and all hands are ready for the call.

Picard slid his computer tablet in it's compartment on the side of his chair after typing the last of his latest Captain's log. He sighed as he sat in the command chair on the bridge of the _USS Enterprise_, the flagship of the Federation of Planets. He watched as the main viewer in front of him showed stars whizzing by in their path of rescue. He crossed his legs and leaned on an arm,hand to his face as he thought.  
Counselor Deanna Troi sat beside him,in one of her barely regulation jumpsuits. Her hair was done up and fell dark and curly down her shoulders,as it used to be back when their Enterprise was first commissioned to this generation of crew had been _eight_ years since they had begun exploring the stars together. Eight years of trials,adventures,bonding, new beginings and sad farewells.  
Picard mused this for a moment before looking to his Number One, First Officer William T. Riker. Riker looked to the viewer as well, patiently readying himself for what may lay ahead. Picard knew he was fortunate to have such a loyal right hand man at his side. Riker had turned down multiple oppritunities at having his own command, and had been loyal in moments that Picard was sure he could have wavered.  
Picard then looked to the helm,where Lt. Barclay and Data were seated, making adjustments and keeping the ship on the fasted route to the starbase. Barclay was a capable officer,if only he had more confidence in often resulted in mishaps with clumsiness.  
Data was a unique man...well, almost anyway. Data,though an android, was far more humble and caring than most people Picard had known, and viewed Data in the light that though not born a human, had achieved that status among his comrades-especially Geordi LaForge,who was like a best friend to Data.  
Geordi,though blind,had a talent with machines and with his old VISOR and now his new implants,he was a engineering miracle worker. The chair beside him was where young Wesley Crusher used to sit...and Picard was surprised at feeling a pang of remorse at not being more fatherly to hoped that where ever he was,he was fine.  
Behind him,Worf and a couple other crew members worked. Picard did still miss Tasha Yar...but was thankful Worf had her spirit of loyalty and duty to fill the job of Security Chief.

He knew he would need everyone of his chief staff with him today,but oddly he knew no legitimate reason why. Surely this small skirmish would be no different than the dozens they'd experienced before. But before he could erase what he hoped to be misgivings, a loud screeching sound of shuttering metal shook the very frame of the Enterprise and her crew. In mere hundreths of a second the sound had come and a complete stopping of the ship occured right out of warp. Jean-Luc Picard and the other crew members on the bridge were flung immediately forward. Picard hit the floor and the pain from the fall was a happy but short-lived distraction from the shuttering of the ship as it grinded to a sudden halt-the metal and futuristic materials taking time to recover from the shock. The lights flickered off,and all was darkness until the emergency lights popped on,casting red and amber-yellow glows all around and on surprised faces.

Picard struggled to get reached up to grab his chair for support but found he had been flung quite a distance-to between the helmsmen's chairs.  
"Captain! Captain are you all right?" A familiar voice echoed in the dim light.  
"Yes Will,I'm alright. But what the blazes happened?" Picard answered as he got up.  
Riker came over to Picard as he stood up. Their eyes had just now adjusted to the new level of light given them. Looking around, Picard saw no one was badly injured,just shook up.  
"If I may,sir.."Data offered.  
"By all means,Mr. Data."Picard said in slight annoyance. Data,though seasoned now, still had his moments where politeness was not quite wanted answers,and now.  
"Yes sir."Data continued,sounding as if he caught on to the hint in his commanding officer's tone."..we haven't stopped on our own accord.."  
"Obviously."Riker muttered,himself a bit flustered too.  
"..it seems however that some_thing_ has stopped us."  
"Some...thing?"Picard repeated.  
"Yes sir. A great energy fluntuation appeared to come upon us in the instant before we were abruptly pulled out of warp."  
"Perhaps some energetic anomaly?"Worf asked from behind the "horseshoe" of panel computers behind the command chairs.  
"No...it sped up and averted course to exactly our location. Then the energy disappeared after we stopped." The android's eyes glimmered in the yellow light,making his already amber eyes glow beautifully.  
Picard had to think quickly. Obviously this _wasn't_ going to be a normal rescue mission after all.  
"Reports,Mr. Worf." he finally asked.  
"All decks report some damage,but no casualties."  
" Systems coming back online,Captain." an ensign added.  
"Very good."The Captain,out of habit, pulled on his shirt and straightened it. He walked up to Troi,who had gotten back to her face was contortioned in an uneasy expression, with slight pain in her eyes.  
"What can you feel?" Picard asked her gently but wary.  
"I...can feel someone..two beings...not far away...of great power...struggling! **Pain**!"She teared up now,and was trembling. Riker had at once come to her aid, kneeling down to her and holding her shoulders.  
"I..it's coming.._anger_...it's **coming**!"Troi got hysterical and Riker held her tightly to him.

Just then,a ball of light appeared on the screen of the main veiwer,and it was coming fast,so fast that Picard hadn't time to utter a breath let alone orders to move out of the way. It looked as if it would smash through,but it didn't. It simply melted through,as if it were Alice rushing through her looking glass. It slammed against the back wall,causing sparks of smashed computers to ignite and spray into the darkness. The ball bounced up and down to the front of the room and laid there. It swirled up and reshaped into a humanoid form laying on the ground in a heap. Even in the darkness Picard could recognize his old nemesis who called himself a friend. The kin to chaos,the trickster god of countless worlds, the thorn in Picard's side: it was none other than **Q**.


	2. The Warning

"**Q**!" Picard yelled.

All he heard,however,was a murmuring as Q seemed to struggle to even get was still dark, and with the glare of the viewer, all they really saw was Q's sillouette. His form was as they expected, human and cocky as ever they assumed. His hair unruly and curly and yet suited him well.

"Quiet Picard..." Q muttered finally and he staggered up. Amber and crimson colors danced on Q's human appearance,but he was mostly in darkness, as was everyone.  
"How _dare_ you! Did _you_ do this to us? You could have destroyed my ship with a sophmoric stunt like that!" Picard yelled, daring step closer to Q, a being far older than many parts of the Galaxy itself, a being who could destroy worlds with a simple thought.  
"Of course I did this to you,you insipid, ungrateful-!" Q began to cough violently.  
"What's the matter with you..?" Picard said in a harsh,impatient voice.  
"Nothing!"Q cleared his throat."Quit changing the subject,Jean-Luc."  
If lighting was better,Q may have seen Picard rolling his eyes.  
"Q,as always your timing is inappropriate! We're on a rescue mission-!" Riker began but Q interrupted.  
"I don't care one iota,Riker...now,do sit next to your sweet little counselor and cry to her all your frustrations about my untimely arrivals." He doubled over,hands on his knees,coughing looking up he snapped his fingers and in a flash Riker was in Troi's lap. He immediately jumped up.  
"Q! I wont have you going about my ship doing what suits your idiotic whims!"Picard began to say in a loud and bothered tone,but even in argument his pronunciations and tones were surprisingly defined and dignified.

The lights suddenly came online and filled the room with light. Everyone squinted,once again adjusting to the light change. Q was now in perfect sight,hands still on his knees and head wasn't wearing his normal attire of a full rank Starfleet officer,but was instead wearing dark pants and a thin dark-blue sweater rolled up at the elbows. _Odd_,Picard thought,_but then again nothing is out of place when dealing with Q_. Even now Picard was careful not to let anything slip past him. This act of Q's may be some kind of trick-one of many he'd pulled before.  
"Q...I've had to deal with your oaf-ish behavior for years and I'll have none of it now! Get off my ship!"  
Q had finally stopped coughing, and straightened up slowly. His sweater,though dark,still was light enough for red ,growing patches of what Picard assumed was a form of blood to appear clearly on his chest and lower side.  
Small murmurs of gasps errupted.  
"Q! You're bleeding!" Troi said standing up, in genuine worry for him.  
"Am I?" Q looked down, his hand felt the warm wet liquid drenching his clothes."Oh yes...it's unimportant.I-"  
"Unimportant? Q,you could die if you-" Riker began.  
"ARG,**QUIET**.SHHHH!" Q said,opening and closing his fist rapidly close to his face to indicate silence,flailing as he spoke,like an insane person."WHATpart of immortal being do you NOT-erg ouch-understand?!" He walked over to Picard,wincing as he did so.  
"If you're not here for help then go bleed somewhere else!"Picard had enough of this.Q's horrid visits far out-weighed any sympathy he could feel for him now.  
Q glared,through what Picard mentally noted as stressed and very tired he waved a hand over his sweater and the blood was gone...or at least covered from human ,despite everything...Picard hoped it was the former.  
"Better,mon capitaine?"Q mocked scornfully.  
"No. Now go away!"  
"Or we will be forced to _escort_ you out."Worf threatened.  
"Don't provoke me,Klingon."Q said in a dangerous voice."And here I was,trying to save you bunch of bi-ped ape-children."  
"Save us?" Data asked,his head coked to one side like a confused puppy.  
"Why do you think I stopped your horrid little ship of lights?"  
"To inflict us with some new 'game' to pass your infinite amount of time." Riker said.

Q was doing well to keep his normal character up,but suddenly his strength failed and he clutched his stomach,grabbing onto the horseshoe's railing for winced but to his credit uttered no wails of pain.  
Picard was concerned now...thinking that perhaps this _wasn't_ a ruse...  
"Alright alright! I...can't bear this...look! Don't go to the starbase! That's the reason I'm here,okay? No games,no fun-just stupid boring business."  
"Why not?" Picard said,making no move to help Q.  
"**DON'T ASK ME WHY JUST DON'T GO THERE**."  
"There are people there in need of our assistance.."Data said meekly.  
"There's no one left alive...and you'll join them if you don't heed _my_ wisdom,Pee-card!"Q replied,standing up again,but wobbly.  
"Your wisdom? Since when have you been the voice of reason,Q?" Picard said as he walked about him.  
"Since before this galaxy was _born_."

At that moment a woman's alluring yet cold voice echoed through everyone's minds.  
"Q...Q...Q...why waste your precious time trying to warn these insignificant specs of existance? Don't tell me you actually _care_ for them?"  
She began to cackle a sparkling yet dark tinkled like bells.  
"Of course...not..."Q looked to Picard then,then glared.  
A woman appeared very close to Q,she was slender and tall,with pale skin,vibrant violet eyes and firey red short put a hand on his face,and cooed,"Because we both know they can't survive...and loving things that can't live forever causes heart break...doesn't it?"  
Q looked very uncomfortable,something Picard thought he'd never live to see.Q glanced at Picard again,and upon seeing him see himself-a Q!-squirm in the presence of a lowly female,he instantly dragged all his strength he had left and faced her head on. He slapped her hand away from his person for starters.  
"Heh..._don't_ touch me."He smiled slyly.  
"Oh...tish tosh my _dear_ Q...this facade for your primitive pals is not fooling anyone..."the woman said.  
"I am by no means fake,my dear M. I'm not surprised you don't know the real thing when you see it though...many can't handle my greatness."  
Q looked intently upon her,and his voice and demeanor spoke in a whisper...that only Picard was close enough to hear."Now,go...they don't deserve to die."  
Picard's eyes widened,if not for his life being threatened then for the fact Q was actually fighting for them.  
"Oh...don't they?"She glanced over to the starship captain,formed a ball of emense energy. It dripped like molten metal from a welder's work. It had no effect on her,and she played with it like play-dough.  
"If I can scar you,make you **bleed**,just _think_ what I can do to them..." The woman apparently named 'M' cooed.  
And with that she hurled the ball of energy towards a stunned Picard. He had nanoseconds to react, and no mere human could within that kind of time frame. Q,in a flash, appeared in front of Picard,and took the shot in the chest. The force blew him backward, on top of the Captain, both ending up on the ground.  
M giggled as if it was absolutely hilarious that Q do such a thing.

Her image faded as she laughed, and soon there was nothingness where she had been.


	3. Surivals and Awkward Gratitude

Picard had the wind knocked out of him,mostly from colliding with an entity and the floor,becoming a "Picard sandwich". The thought was less than amusing to say the by this point, along with the others,was already assisting the captain.  
"Q..?"Picard said,staggaring up. Deanna Troi was at Q's side,possibly one of the few not afraid to examine him. A couple Ensigns and Barclay were huddled to the corner. Data came to her assistance. Once he had his footing,he went to them.  
"He's not responding,Captain."Data said.  
"I feel...some kind of conciousness within him,but it's far away." Troi confirmed.  
Picard tapped his comm badge."Bridge to transporter room. Four to emergency transport to Sickbay. " He lowered his hand."Number One,you have the conn."  
Riker nodded as he saw the personages of Data,Troi,Picard and Q disappear in a glimmer.  
Beverly Crusher was in Sickbay,scuddling about with the light burns and bruises and cuts various members of the crew obtained from the sudden pitstop their ship had taken. She nearly jumped when she heard and saw the images of four people beam aboard inches from where she was about to was doubly surprised to see and Data laid the entity atop one of the beds,in a private part of the "ward". His sweater was torn at the chest,and showed severe burns and loss of blood. Beverly simply looked bug eyed for a moment then looked to Picard.  
"Long story, you do anything for him?"  
"I'll try my best..."  
She was infinitely amazed and intimidated that she was about to _try_ to heal an immortal man of the self-professed surpreme was a daunting yet provacative left her and Data soon afterwards,to settle the crew and oversee the repairs made by Geordi as of yet.  
Beverly knew him better,though. From what Data had briefed her on,she was sure he wanted to keep busy till any real news of Q's condition should occur. Deanna and Data worked along with Beverly,but nothing seemed to acknowledge Q was even alive. Doctor Crusher even went as far as replicated an old fashioned seringe,but the surface of Q's "skin" broke the needle upon contact. Minutes turned into a few hours when Picard finally came back.  
"How's the...patient?" he asked,nodding over to the helpless looking heap that was Q.  
"I don't know. I can't do much for him. We did change his shirt and gave him a fresh one."She looked back at Q,who's only visitors were Data and now wore a seafoam green sweater,much like the ones Wesley used to wear,but in a size that better fit him.  
"He...he had severe lacerations on his abdomen to go along with that huge burn on his chest."She said softly to Jean-Luc,who looked upon Q with a new but unfathamable expression.  
"The burn..."Crusher contunued,walking over to Q,who moved ever so slightly."..was extensive in it's own right,by our standards at least."She lifted Q's shirt to show Picard the burns and the wounds he still bore."From what I can tell,he had been wounded long before he approached us."  
"That would confirm the visual blood we viewed upon his initial arrival."Data commented,still taking readings.  
"Doctor,Captain..."Troi piped up. She had spent a long time now,quiet,searching what she could of Q's mind."I feel a stirring in him..."

Troi was correct,for at that moment,Q's eyes fluttered open. He gasped,coughed a few times,and cradled his middle after shoving his shirt down. He propped himself up on one arm,and in a haze smiled to Beverly Crusher.  
"If you wanted to see me without my shirt on,you could've just asked..._Doctor_."  
Crusher blushed ever so slightly and tried to get him to lie down again.  
"You need rest,Q."  
"It's not everyday I almost get killed,woman. It's exciting and I'm not going to sleep through it!"Q argued,flinging his feet to the side so he would be in a sitting position facing Picard.  
"But you're hurt.."Troi said.  
"Oh yes.."Q lifted his shirt,looked at his audience of three then shifted to the side to conceal his bare skin as if he was all of a sudden modest."He waved his hand slowly and muttered something in a language unknown to any of them. The wounds healed slowly but surely.  
"There. That should do it." Q said,smacking his stomach.  
"Q...what...what you did..."Picard finally tried to say,but Q interrupted him.  
"Oh...nononono...This will _not_ do. This color has 'drab' written all over it." He snapped his fingers and a violent shade of crimson now colored the sweater.  
"Red is so adventerous,no?" Q beamed.  
"Q! How can you act like nothing's happened? You almost died-_trying_ to **save** me!"Picard said. He had no patience with Q,even after more than a decade of dealing with him.  
Q looked surprised at Picard."Jean-Luc...not so loud...the crew will begin to talk."Q said giving him a cheeky look.  
Picard was mad now,and Troi and Beverly took the hint he needed private time with Q. Data stood there as the girls crept out,so Troi had to come back and make him join didn't even notice when the door closed with a swoosh.  
"Don't tell me. Just another benefit of being all-powerful,hmm? Well,the fact remains,that you did save me."  
Q turned his back on Picard."So what if I did?"  
"I want to thank you."  
Q turned around slowly. Perhaps this was the second time Picard had ever seen a genuine look upon his nemesis's face.  
"You're welcome." He replied.  
"Now then, if what you mentioned was true-"Picard wanted to move on right then,but Q wasn't going to let him. In a flash,Q had literally glomped Picard.  
"I knew you'd warm up to me sooner or later!"Q gleefully exclaimed.  
"Get **OFF** me Q!"Picard yelled,trying to break free from the awkward embrace.  
"Nonsense!"

Just then, Lt. Barclay walked in on them. (haha...that sounds bad...oh ) Immediately,his eyes widened,he held his hands up and backed away slowly till the door closed on him dashing down the hall.  
"Now look what you've done." Picard said,finally slinking out of Q's horrible bear hug.  
"Ho hum." Q said,still elated Picard was indeed his friend.  
"Well...we might as well get to the ready room.I'll meet you there-"Picard was about to tap his comm badge when Q snapped his fingers and in another flash there they were-along with the chief staff-in the ready room. Cups of hot chocolate also were placed in front of them,Q sipping happily from his.  
Picard gave Q an exasperated look.  
"Time is of the essence,I'm sure,mon capitaine."Q beamed.  
Picard grumped then turned to his slightly disoriented crew sitting at the hoped he could finally make sense of this whole thing.


	4. Answers

"Alright Q," the Starship Captain sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What's the ploy this time?"

Q took more than enough time to savor his current sip of cocoa. His eyes closed as he let himself be swept into the aroma and steam of the beverage. His smile faded however as he opened his eyes and stared down at his own hands.  
"Are you familiar with the concept of parallel dimensions?" he asked, in a tone without condescending or belittling.

Picard blinked at the question and the candor with which it was asked. "Yes. We've come across such...instances before, but surely you know that." Picard replied.  
Q nodded sadly. "I do. I just…" he immediately looked up and saw the rest of the chief staff eyeing him in a different way now, with concern and even….could it be…trust? Q squirmed in these new feelings and resumed his original and usual state of pompous, though one could tell it was somewhat forced.  
"I was testing you! Silly mortals." He shook his head as if they were naughty little toddlers. "It's a marvel that you primitive things even have the competency to record the insignificant spec of your past existence." He cooed. Picard gave him a withering glare. Maybe he was kidding himself that maybe Q had gotten some shred of humility through this whole fiasco.

"And this is relevant how?" Riker asked impatiently, thumping a finger on the desk.  
"It has everything to do with anything." Q replied, rather miffed that Riker didn't seem to understand this. He rolled his eyes at Will's inability to catch on.  
Q sighed."Let's start simple then. What do you know specifically of what you affectionately call the 'Mirror Universe'?"  
Data found this a good opportunity to speak up. "The _Mirror_ Universe, as we call it, was first encountered by the Enterprise Captain James T. Kirk, during a transporter malfunction."  
"Go on." Q said with a half interested wave of the hand.  
"This dimension seemed parallel to ours, as recorded by Ambassador Spock, then first officer. Counterparts existed of the life forms here in our own Prime dimension; however they were of different, even opposite, personality and motive."  
"I remember reading a few of those reports in the Academy as part of my social work essay." Deanna commented. "They said the…Terrans had built an empire rather than a Federation?"  
Data nodded. "According to recent reports from Deep Space Nine-" Q gave a snort at the mention of the space station, "-whom have encountered the dimension on multiple occasions in the past, has shed a bit more light on their history. Theirs was almost identical to ours in most ways, except when in April 2063 when Zefram Cochrane's invention of warp drive made possible the first contact of Earth and Vulcan, he reportedly shot the Vulcans with a rifle and seized the ship and its technology instead of welcoming them and forming the first alliance with Vulcan as it did in our history, beginning what would become the _Terran Empire_. From Captain Sisko's reports, we have surmised that it is an Empire not unlike the Romulan or old Klingon Empires, except disputably more severe and inconceivably treacherous in the organization of their networks and stations." Data gave an apologetic smile to Worf about the mention of merely nodded that he was not offended.  
"That's all well and said, perhaps a threat for the worlds in their dimension, but why waste our time with this plane of existence lesson?" Worf then gruffed. Q rolled his eyes, setting his cup of hot chocolate down.  
"My dear Mr. _Woof_, has it crossed your _micro-brain_ that should there be doubles of your pathetic selves, there could **in fact** be doubles of those higher in existence?" Q said, irritation and warning in his voice. Worf looked like he was about to slice through Q with his bare hands.

Picard was deep in thought now and did not register the slurs the two exchanged. _So that was it,_, he thought. _That was what Q was hinting at_. However, Picard wasn't one to guess; he wanted Q to say what he was getting at out straight, not beat around the bush…if only to let Picard stall for time to brace himself for what he knew must be truth.

"What are you trying to say Q?" he said slowly and meaningfully. Q didn't dare make a comment about Picard's intelligence this time. In fact he looked quite grave at the moment.  
"What I'm saying Jean-Luc is…is that…in the Mirror Universe…" he fumbled with his hands,"…there's one of **me** too."


	5. Explanations

Riker, Troi, Worf, Data, Dr. Crusher and Geordi stared at Q along with Picard for a long moment. Q gave them a sheepish smile, making him almost like a different person- no, entity.

"What do you mean '_there's one of you too'_?" Picard asked, dumbfounded.

"Is there an echo?" Q said airily.

"**Q**!" Picard shouted, but to Q's credit he did not flinch as the others did.

"_YES_ Picard, _YES_ there's one of _me_. I have a doppelganger just like the rest of you common peasants." Q said as he threw up his hands in frustration, stood up and turned to the large window of the Ready Room, his back to the chief crew of the _Enterprise_.

"Even we, the Continuum, find it rather distasteful to venture into that particular existence, mainly because of the irregularities it has presented." Q explained. "It formed not long ago, by our own measure, but it has become incredibly troublesome. They have tried to tamper with our home universe, the Prime one, the one you mortals also call home. Despite the number of dimensions that are present however, this one has claimed one single anomaly the countless others do not: me. Or another "me" as it were."

Picard shifted in his seat contemplating this. Geordi spoke up now. "So you're saying that there could be two of you?!"

"Not '_could_', but **IS**." Q snapped, clasping his hands behind him, still staring at the nebulae they were currently passing. "But I am the _original_."

"Of course." Picard scoffed. "If what we know is true, then by their standards their Q is probably a philanthropist and peace maker through their galaxy, creating peace rather than disorder. What exactly is so bad about that?" Accusation was in his tone as he eyed the entity in front of him. Q stood where he was for a moment, his body rigid and straight. By human standards he had quite the posture. His curled brunette head lowered with his voice as he uttered the next line: "He isn't, that's the problem Jean Luc."

"What do you mean? Stop talking in riddles Q." Riker piped up.

Q remained silent.

Data cocked his head again. "If Q were to act in opposite of himself, then he would in fact not be philanthropic, but hostile towards all life: Destructive without reason, humorless and without compassion."

"Are your wires fried? Q is not the opposite of any of those things!" Worf argued.

Q looked affronted at that but said nothing.

"He's got a point Captain. Q, though he hasn't obliterated us as of yet, has never shown any respect nor compassion for our race nor any other not on the same level of evolution as the almighty Q. It's a wonder he turned up to save us now." Riker glared.

"I think he is the opposite of those horrible things." Deanna said softly. Q turned to her in astonishment.

"He has helped us in the past, just in really roundabout ways…and he has said to have our best interests at heart. I believe that. He may toy with our minds and go too far, but he has shown qualities of loyalty and even bravery."

Everyone turned to look at Q to watch him primp and preen as the generous complements, but he remained silent, looking at Troi as though trying to figure out why she said what she did.

"In light of recent events, I tend to agree." Picard said after a moment, resting his clasped hands to his mouth in contemplation.

"So you want us to believe there's a Mirror Q far worse than you are now? Impossible." Work snorted.

"Believe it or not, Rippley, because either way IT presents a threat to you all." Q spat.

"It?" Beverly squeaked.

" ." Q ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, he's a _he_, but also an _it_. It's hard to explain this verbally in your primitive form of speech. But I doubt you'd comprehend any telepathic information I'd give you." He said, pacing now. "Look, he…from what I know anyhow…is dangerous. Insane. Evil. Everything. Nothing. Present. Absent."

"You're talking contradictions. How can something even _exist_ like that?" Crusher asked.

"Oh it's possible. Easier in a way. But not practical by Q-standards. And much as I am to loath the statement, that is one thing I agree with."

"And this woman that….harmed you?" Picard asked.

Q glared, but not at Picard, more inwardly than anything. "_M_. Of the M-Continuum. You've met her, or will…Long story short is that the M and Q never saw eye to eye and are quite volatile and obtuse. I've gotten bungled on what is reality and space-time after that blow they gave me before reaching your ship…" Q scratched his head, hair flopping over his forehead.

"They?" Geordi asked.

"Yes. The little wench has breached the Q-M Treaties and crossed over to that dimension, making a deal with that abominable creep." Q huffed, sitting back down again.

"But why would she do this? What is there to gain from making an alliance with such an unpredictable being?" Deanna voiced.

"She's an M. Obviously not capable of intelligent thought. Regardless of that, I believe she means to formulate a wild card to our currently Cold War. She's blinded by her own insanity or power-lust. This Mirror-Q will not stop at our race but continue to destroy the universe should he be loosed, of that I am certain." Q said, quite exasperated by the questioning.

Picard leaned back in his chair, eyes closed and brow furrowed. "What exactly…how exactly do we figure in this equation of madness then?"

"I need your help to stop the breach she made in our two worlds." Q told him.

"You need our help?" Riker asked, brows raised in mock surprise.

"Yes Riker, Yes. I need your help! I'm to the point of begging if you want it! I'm sick and tired of this, and this other Q could cause a chaos here that you can't even begin to fathom." Q breathed, fists clenched.

"What of the other Q? Surely they have offered to help. They are more than capable—" Troi began, but Q cut her off.

"They are most indifferent about the whole thing. They doubt my credibility at the moment, and honestly don't see the threat of that universe. And I think they are eager for some excitement that this inevitable confrontation will provide. Besides, they have no real jurisdiction in that realm, having no counterparts themselves."

"Why do they not?" Data asked, amber eyes reflecting a most human image of curiosity.

"For some reason I'm the only one of our race to have a double there. The M are non-existent there as far as I can tell, so either he destroyed his Mirror-Continuum or they never existed to begin with. I suspect the former."

"That's possible?" Crusher gasped.

"Yes. Janeway was a witness to that a few years back, as I'm sure you've all eagerly read about just to _amuse_ yourselves at my near demise. Just because you can't hurt us doesn't mean others of us or of our level can't." He rubbed his side and stomach, wincing a bit, and Picard hoped Q was indeed healed, and not being a fool and hiding it…

"Time is running out. I need your help to go into the Mirror Universe and stop her and that thing calling himself Q." Q said seriously. He was determined and not turning this into a game…_not yet_.


	6. Support and Realizations

"Well Q, it would seem we would have no choice but to aid you in this quest." Picard said after an awkward silence. He looked Q directly in the eye, daring him to find fault in the statement. He threaded his fingers together and placed his hands atop the table. His fellow chief of staff held their breaths, concern, worry and anxiety flashing on their respective countenances.

"Is this a unanimous decision then?" Q countered his face void of all emotion. Perhaps this rather unusual reaction from the being was what most present found even more disconcerting.

Picard's eyes lingered upon Q for a moment, before turning to his trusted crew. "You all understand the risks. As my council and friends, I would appreciate any and all arguments to this unprecedented mission brought before us."

"As ship's counselor, I feel it is important to point out the negative emotion regarding the mission, however, from what I can sense in Q now, he is being truthful. Whether this is a false emotion he has emitted to benefit himself in our decision or not is unseen. I will concede that the need of the many outweigh the need of the few in this situation, and therefore offer my support in favor of the mission." Deanna looked worn out already, but her eyes sparkled with a hope that Q had never had directed at himself before. He also hadn't realized his emotions had seeped out, and so quickly tucked them into himself beyond the empath's ability to detect.

Riker was next.  
"Captain, as your Number One, I strongly second in being wary of Q." at this Q narrowed his human form's eyes at the First Officer. "He has caused more harm than good in our mutual past, and I wouldn't put it past him to inflict any amount of danger and conflict to satisfy his need for gratification and amusement. Q is a wild card in a crumbling game where the odds are exponentially not in our favor." He took a breath and regarded his Captain as he spoke the next part of his thoughts. "Captain, I cannot say I agree with this entire mission, solely because of Q's involvement…but if you believe it to be our responsibility to become involved then I shall support it."

Jean-Luc nodded, a small grin at his Right Hand's honesty and loyalty. He then turned to Geordi LaForge.

" I'll say it's a long shot, Captain. This whole dimension jumping isn't exactly unheard of, but it's tricky. It's not something you learn at the Academy through simulations or textbooks. But from what I've learned it has a strain on the ship in different ways. No two situations even recorded report the same outcome in relation to engineering. I'll do my best to keep the ship in top shape, whatever is decided…"

"I'll help configure this tin can you call a ship to suit that purpose, so no worries Commander." Q smirked. Geordi looked affronted at the disrespect of his precious ship when Beverly Crusher cut in.

"Jean-Luc, I'll confess I'm torn. On the one hand we have an entire crew aboard to put at risk once we enter this Mirror Place, but on the other an entire universe hangs in the balance." She exhaled in frustration. "I..I guess you have my blessing, but so help me Q, you lose me one more life…" Beverly looked fierce as she trailed off, and even Picard didn't dare point out that she had just threatened a Q. Q however simply tilted his head in a nod of silent agreement. Miracles it seemed would not cease on this particular Solar day.

Worf seemed fueled by her energy and gruffed out, "I agree Captain. But as it will be cowardice to run from this unknown enemy, I submit my support. It is a good day to die, even it is in the presence of a Q." he said 'Q' as if it were a disdainful race. Q just shrugged as Picard looked at him expectantly; ready to shoot down a retort to the formidable Klingon. Picard then turned to the android member of the group.

Data sat quietly throughout the entire discussion until his turn came.

"I shall of course respect your wishes Captain, and that of the crew in this endeavor. I will point out the odds are…" He saw the faces of his friends and opted out the actual percentiles, "...are not in our favor, as Commander Riker noted. But as history has shown, the Enterprise has always beaten the odds. I shall aid in whatever research, computing and diagnostics required to ready us for the mission at hand."

Picard opened his mouth as he smiled, about to say something memorable and perhaps similar to a pep talk when Q bustled into the conversation.

"Fantastic, my little bipeds! I knew I could count on you! How lovely, a family once more! Well, I'll be in Engineering! See you there, Shades!" and with a pop and flash Q was gone.

Picard rubbed his face with a hand as he pushed his cup of chocolate away with the other.

"Mr. LaForge, I suggest you and Mr. Data head on down to Egineering…Number One,I shall entrust you to tactfully inform the rest of the crew of our new plans, Doctor Crusher, enable sickbay to receive casualties and wounded should it be necessary, Mr. Worf, tighten security measures that could be needed with these Being floating about…and Counselor Troi, if you would be so kind as to inform Starfleet Command to our current mission. It will take a week to reach them and a week to receive response at our current coordinates, so I suggest we carry on. Dismissed."

* * *

Q flashed into Engineering quite discreetly. Only one other member of the engineering team seemed on active duty on tonight's graveyard shift, and that someone was busy hunching over a computer panel calibrating some doo-dad. That was a trifle odd, seeing on how the whole of the ship was in mortal danger now…but oh yes, that oaf Riker hadn't finished writing whatever winded speech he was to address the crew with about their current situation. The Being rolled his eyes at the insufferable human. Leave it to Beardy to make theatrics. Well, Q was perfectly fine with that, for now. He could use the quiet moments in these lower decks to sort out his muddled thoughts, particularly how to fully heal his wounds. He winced as his hand moved along his side once again. The pain was lessening, but Q could only assume that would be temporary. He sighed, he was obviously losing his touch. But he just wasn't in the mood to be difficult at the moment…

"May I help you?" came a voice behind him and Q spun around to look into the hazel eyes of yet another appendage of Star Fleet's finest. Q almost burst out laughing at that thought. The man before him was the one hunched over the panels when he appeared. He had brownish hair, average build and a gentle face. Q remembered this human, Broccoli? No…Barclay. Yes, what was it.

Barclay took only a second to remember Q.

"Y-y-you! I-I…I thought you were i-in sick b-bay…" He paled instantly and took several jolted steps back. Q frowned, making Barclay turn a shade even lighter than before.

"Look, Bark, I mean you no harm." Q mocked in a bored tone, holding his hands up in surrender.

Barclay didn't look convinced but did look a touch upset at the new nickname. Q didn't know how he hated nicknames.

"Does the Captain know you're here?" Barclay asked quietly.

Q rolled his eyes. "No, I'm frolicking about his ship unaccounted for while the universe's fate becomes more dire with every second wasted because I decided to pay you a visit and have a friendly chat over tea and crumpets."

Barclay's expression finally darkened, but only made his current complexion a shade back to normal.

"What is your business here then? I haven't received a report—"Barclay asked with a bit more authority, trying his best not to stammer. Q cut him off, breaking his flow of speech and what little confidence he had tried to build in the minutes he spent talking to a Q.

"Shadesy is on his way, most likely taking a pit stop to oil his Tin Man." Q said in a bored voice again, flashing to sit atop the control panel Barclay was configuring only minutes before.

"You mean C-Commander LaForge and Commander D-Data?" he asked, wincing to himself at his stutter. He hated how his nerves got away with him. At least he hadn't fainted yet…'yet' being the key word here.

Q gave him a look that meant he had little patience for those who stated the obvious.

Barclay gulped, clutching his record tablet, his nerves causing his hands to tremble slightly.

Q noticed and raised an eyebrow. "You're very odd, even for a human." He stated. Never had any of the other humans ever showed him any kind of fear for his mere presence, but now that he thought about it, only Barclay had; however obscure he had been in the background of things, Q had noticed. Q noticed most everything. Barclay looked up at the comment, but took it the wrong way, if the moment of fury and hurt in his eyes were any indication. Q's own eyes widened at the emotion flickering in the human, and opened his mouth about to say what that was all about when Geordi and Data walked in from the Turbo-Lift.

"Ahh, Q, knew you'd make it here in record time." Geordi sighed, but without the friendliness he usually used in his tone. He seemed more exhausted by the mere sight of Q. Data merely began to connect to the computer to analyze the materials of past Mirror-Jumps. Geordi meanwhile had caught sight of the now trembling Barclay, and he sighed again.

"Look Reg, it's been a long night, huh? You're relieved. Be on standby for debriefing within the hour." He said. Barclay looked to the ground and left with an "Aye, Sir."

"I hope you didn't cause him to go too far back in his progress with Deanna." Geordi said off-handedly to Q.

"Her counseling obviously isn't helping, that human is a nervous wreck." Q stated, aghast and surprised the Enterprise even had such a member of her crew. He was under the impression she took only the best and brightest. It was actually pleasant to see there were flaws in her crewship he hadn't previously observed.

Data remained quiet, but listened with interest, simultaneously scanning for files in which to find sparse but existing settings under which dimension warp was theoretically possible. Perhaps Admiral Spock had entered the exact conditions when his Enterprise had experienced the anomaly…

The conversation continued behind him.

"Well, he doesn't do well under pressure…" Geordi explained, though it seemed he was uncomfortable but fed up with the situation. "His transcripts from the Academy tell he is a genius of sorts, but I've yet to see it here. If this whole mission is as dire as you say, I'd steer clear from any help Ensign Barclay could give you." Geordi sighed again. If the Chief Engineer was honest with himself, he'd say he really did wish he could reach out to Reginald Barclay…if it would do any good. But he doubted it, and he hated himself for doing so. If only Barclay wasn't so openly nervous, so clumsy, so awkward…well, the list goes on. He shook his head and began to rattle off hypotheses after hypotheses of how to simulate the conditions Data found to ensure a stable and safe warp into the dimension. Q let them converse for a moment as he turned over this new mystery that was Reginald Barclay. He smirked to himself at what a nice diversion this presented, hopped off the panel and snapped his fingers. The entire room flashed white for a moment.

"I do believe your ship is fully equipped and ready for such a journey as I have described. Now then, I'm a bit restless, so do carry on. Ready to depart when you are! I feel like indulging in a chocolate sundae." And Q strode off, flashing out of the room in mid-stride. Geordi scowled behind his VISOR, upset at Q just playing games with their abilities while he could have just done that evolutionary magic of his in the first place. Little did he know that Q was helping them stretch their primitive perspectives at the very concept of dimensions, easing them into what soon would become important. Data looked unaffected by the change, only intrigued.

Overhead the whistled blew for attention on all decks, and Riker's voice came over the comm, relaying in general terms what had happened and what their ship was underway to get into.


End file.
